Wolfi's Bike Shop Blog – Cycling in Dubai and the Middle East

Athlete Interview – Olivier Godart

You are one of the most recognized Triathletes in the region and everybody here at Wolfis Bike Shop is familiar with you, but perhaps you could introduce yourself to our customers….

A: My name is Olivier Godart, I am 42, from Luxembourg, grew up in Switzerland, in Dubai since 2004, triathlon since 2010, WBS customer since 2010.

Q: You are always competing with a great passion and intensity. What drives you and where does your motivation come from to train and compete at such a consistently high level?

A: I am driven by joy and pureness at heart. I simply love triathlon and that is why i do it. I am also driven by the fact that i have been training on this level since a couple of years now, so on one hand it is also a habit. On the other hand, I am a natural competitor and cherish competitive situations. I love to train also. I train correct also thanks to such an outstanding coach like Lubos Bilek and overall guidance by my wife Petra. Also I take really good care about myself. Moreover and maybe most importantly, I am realistic with myself and know what I can and can’t do. I never overrate myself. Also, I am an honest person and it shows not only in triathlon, but in all other aspects of life as well. That being said, I am not being in honest in triathlon for the sake of being dishonest in another area of my life. What you see is what you get. And most importantly, I stay away from dangerous things like fame and social media, attention, affection, patter, congratulations and all that stuff. If you start falling for before mentioned stuff, it is over. You can hang up the cleats. That is the reason why I am so short lipped and snappy at people sometimes. I think everyone means well, I just don’t wanna hear it, because otherwise I would lose focus on whats really important: getting better everyday.

Q: Now you are riding the Cervelo P5x as your bike of choice. Would it be fair to say it is correct not to judge this bike by it’s looks?

A: It is ugly, not my taste of aesthetics at all. But for one beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and looks is not all that counts. It is not fair to judge it only by its looks. It is always the substance that counts.

Q: What was your initial reaction to the bike and how do you find the bike now you have had time to race and train on it?

A: I thought, wow, this bike is amazing. It is the most comfortable bike that i have ever ridden in aero position for any amount of time, and at the same time it is fast. So the comfort aero ratio is perfect and that is what matters in triathlon: how long and comfortably can i spend in an aero position and still go fast? The P5X ticks that box more than any other bike i have ridden so far and that is why i bought it. So far i have ridden it ca. 1100 1200km and did not have to leave aero position once, not in training or competition. In competition i have gone faster and more importantly, more comfortable and efficient than any other bike. What good is a fast bike in a faster position if you do not feel comfortable? i get off the bike and can run with ease and comfort and enjoy it and more importantly run very fast.

Q: If you had one tip for triathletes traveling to races abroad, what would your advice to them be?

A: Do not build your bike as soon as you arrive. do it the next morning when you are relaxed.

Q: Nutrition is a huge part of Triathlon, and we have seen you write about this on your recent blog post. What would be your tips to any triathletes ahead of a big race day?

A: Develop habits and stick to them. do not try out anything you haven’t done before. That will get you into trouble.

Q: What was the triathlon scene like when you arrived in UAE, and how has it changed during your time here?

A: The scene was more casual from a performance level. there were no big races, just smaller races organised by the local club. It was small scale. The level was not anywhere near as good as it is today. The scene was not welcoming at all, it was a closed group. You never saw people train over the summer. Today, we have a good performance level in the Gulf with some outstanding triathletes and it will continue to keep on going, i can guarantee you that. now we have big races and big names racing here. The local Emirati population also starts to embrace the sport. One constant has always been there in any case: the service level at WBS.

Thanks for your time, and we wish you all the best with your goals for the season ahead.

If you want to follow Oli on his Journey you can do so on his Blog or Facebook Page